The purpose of these initial statements is to explain the basis of the civil action now that it has been called. As Mr Salmond indicates, the intention going forward is to present arguments in court.
Alex Salmond said;
“Throughout this tawdry business I have done my talking in court or in front of Parliament. That has resulted in victory in the Court of Session and being cleared of all charges in the High Court of Justiciary. I intend to continue with that practice.
Despite Lord Pentland’s findings in the Court of Session that the behaviour of the former Permanent Secretary and her officials was “unlawful”, “unfair” and “tainted by apparent bias”, despite the ongoing police and crown office enquiries into the criminal leaks and potential perjury at the criminal trial, despite the astonishing revelations of misfeasance contained in the eventual publication of the government’s own legal advice, and despite the specific findings of the Parliamentary Inquiry into the conduct of the former Permanent Secretary and the former First Minister, not one single person has been held accountable. With this court action that evasion of responsibility ends.
We have agreed to the sisting of proceedings to allow the criminal investigations into leaking and perjury to be completed. However, the calling of the action signals that the day of reckoning for the Scottish Government’s record of misfeasance on this grand scale will inevitably come.”
Mr Salmond’s lawyer, Gordon Dangerfield, said;
“This is an action of misfeasance in public office in which we aver that public officials of the Scottish Government conducted themselves improperly, in bad faith and beyond their powers, with the intention of injuring Mr Salmond. The public officials and Ministers named in our action include, among others, the former Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, the former Chief of Staff Liz Lloyd and the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
“We aver that public officials decided at an early stage that Mr Salmond was to be found guilty of allegations against him, regardless of the actual facts. As events snowballed, we aver that public officials then took part in the criminal leaking of confidential documents, the concealment of documents in defiance of court orders and a criminal warrant, the misleading of the court during judicial review proceedings, the soliciting of false criminal complaints, and ultimately the commission of perjury at a parliamentary inquiry. All of this, we aver, was done for political reasons, and specifically to injure Mr Salmond.
“Many documents which are relevant to these averments continue to be concealed by the Scottish Government despite repeated requests for disclosure of them over the course of the last year since this action was first raised. We aver that this refusal to disclose is a continuation of the misfeasance which began more than five years ago. A major aim of Mr Salmond in bringing this action is to obtain disclosure of this vital evidence and to blow apart the Scottish Government cover-up which has gone on now for far too long.
I have to admit that I have been a bit sceptical about taking this route, but we are where we are, and Mr Salmond may yet take them all to the cleaners. Well, they were warned that coming clean ages ago was the best option, but they turned their backs on the hand of reconciliation, so they will reap what they have sown. One word of caution, though, they will fight dirty, I have no doubt. I hope that the whole sorry mess can be laid to rest finally, and Mr Salmond can be brought into a leadership role in Scottish politics again without the bitching that goes on daily, because, by God, we need him now.
They can fight as dirty as they like they tried that before and lost all the legal cases. The truth will out and so will all the evidence Sturgeon managed to hide. Now there is no hiding place.
That was not my point, BB. It was that they will hurl even more mud Mr Salmond’s way. It is perfectly possible to win your case and still be damaged by it, as, indeed, he was before, and as many people have been. Innocence is no guarantee of avoiding the slurs of those who wish you harm. I’m a realist.
I would want him to come through this as a polished, clean tattie, not subject to the misthrown rotten eggs of the Unionists again, and equally vicious SNP apologists, so that he can take over the reins and take us to independence, so I hope he will also receive a public apology from each and every one as part of the settlement.
I hope you are right and that those responsible for the allegations and subsequent not guilty verdict being disregarded will get their just desserts.
In the end, Ann, it doesn’t matter if they are named and shamed. It is unlikely that they will be named. However, those who instigated this are the real culprits, and it is they who should be brought to book. The women, most of them, are small fry. Their part in it, named or not named, will still bring its own condemnation. What was done to the man who brought us to 2014 was despicable.
Your right. The devolutionists were happy in their rolls. They rejected the SALMOND gold standard of constantly fighting for independence
This could make Watergate look like a Sunday school picnic by comparison.
I hope so, for Scotland’s sake.
Yes, it has to be resolved and cannot be allowed to fester and infect our path to independence.
I think it can be safely concluded that Alex Salmond and his team have prepared well.
The attempt to destroy Alex Salmond was without a shadow of doubt done to destroy the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence.
It further goes without saying that there was, across multiple areas of government and apparatus of the state criminal collusion.
This civil action now exposes all of that for the public to see.
Mr Salmond is a master tactician and strategist. He is well advised and his desire for independence has not gone away. Neither has the public’s support for independence gone away.
Watch this space for there is I believe much to come.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Independence and Salmond isn’t all related.
Salmond is a lucky man he’s able to pay for justice, I don’t mean this in a nasty way. I wouldn’t be surprised if Independence and Salmond isn’t all related.
One individual has caused so much damaged not just to Salmond and the SNP, Independence and yet the membership of the party thinks the sun shines out of her arse.
The phrase once in a generation because of Sturgeon just might come to pass.
I hope to god she chucked out of politics for good and the truth is brought to light because its important for Salmond and I’d love the general public to see Sturgeon for who she really is a monster and a vindictive Individual.
Nearly ten years on and what has the SNP, its MPs or its MSPs done for anyone in Scotland? That’s right nothing only for themselves.
Yes, indeed, 100%, you would actually think that the SNP did not want independence, so much damage and rowing back has been done over the past ten years. I hope that everything will be brought to light. The SNP/Green coalition continues in Sturgeon’s footsteps to simply not listen to any advice given by their own lawyers, and they learn nothing from circumstances either. Same with Westminster under Boris. Narcissistic people who believe they are always right, even when they have not a clue. Evans and Lloyd were warned several times over that the initial procedure that had been drawn up was flawed, should never have been retrospective and should not have included FMs, and was, therefore, illegal and wholly ill-advised, with even Whitehall mandarins warning them to leave well alone, yet on with it they pressed, losing the civil case. Next, because by then the criminal case was pending and the police gathering information, they proceeded with the criminal trial instead of admitting that they had got it all wrong. They were determined to get Mr Salmond out of the picture for political reasons. Nothing I have heard or seen thus far convinces me that the present leadership, any more than the previous, actually wants to do anything at all to bring independence about, and that is the crux of the matter. They hate and fear Alec Salmond because he would not back off from independence and was putting them on the spot.
Snp voter here, go get them Alex.
I would be embarrassed to admit that you’re an NuSnp voter !!
Alex Salmond is determined to smear the present SNP and in particular Nicola Sturgeon . His stance is ridiculously sexist and indicates his attitude towards women is misogynistic and he is still a sexual predator that will not be a proper candidate for any position in Government no matter how many lies he promotes about Nicola .
How do you then account for him winning every court case inthis entire debacle and Sturgeon’s Government being found guilty of being unlawful”, “unfair” and “tainted by apparent bias in his case?
The sun shining out of Sturgeon’s arse is still blinding the gullible.
What’s wrong? Is WGD shut down for the present? I would suggest that the actions of LLoyd Sturgeon and Evans are sexist and that they were determined to ruin a man whose achievements they could never hope to match.
The fact that one woman at least even perjured herself and got away with it is disgusting and they have done more damage to women’s causes than any flicking of hair or making jokes about killer heels from any man ever did.
these women were out to get him and they make meashamed of my sex.
Wee Chid: I think that sex accusations were the very least of it. They – or the accusations – were, as in so many political scenarios, the means to an end, and that end was to ensure that Alex Salmond was removed from politics entirely – not because of any sexual shenanigans, but because he was a direct and present threat to their plan to abandon independence in favour of devolution, and to bring in laws that were contrary to existing law and sense. In doing so – harrying Mr Salmond and, subsequently, bringing in laws that were contrary to Scotland’s sense of itself and its political aspirations – the SNP government destroyed the independence momentum and consensus that had been built up since 2014. It was quite deliberate. They betrayed us and the movement, thinking they were so smart and acting like the big boys and girls. They have been shown to be inept and stumbling paper men and women and will not come through the next election well, and will probably fade into the wallpaper come 2026 and the SE, with no one to blame but themselves.
So a jury’s decision doesn’t count as far as you’re concerned? I take it you were there and able to witness the alphabeties giving their evidence in order to reach your conclusion? Aye right.
Absaloute Nonsense you only have to look at Witness H lying on Oath in open court warned 4 times by the judge for leading the Jury, also H was warned she was close to contempt, H changed her story 4 times to the police on alledged Rape, She wasn’t even at Bute House on the date of alledged Rape 3 witnesses confirmed H wasn’t present as she used information from Alex’s book to try make the story realistic also the arm injury H suffered from Alledged Rape happened a week earlier due to a sporting injury, this was all Instigated by Nicola Sturgeon & her inner circle of Ministers & Civil Servants after Alex Salmond mentioned of making a Political Comback as Independence was off the table with Sturgeon, they threw everything at Alex it didn’t work & a majority of the women jury decided he was not guilty & Subsequently Aquitted on all charges, Nicola Sturgeons Imposter Syndrome which is the Fear of being discovered as a Fraud allowed her thoughts to get her inner circle creating ludicrous fabricated charges against Alex which those in the know the real reasons were to basically ruin Alex Salmonds return to Politics. And hopefully as Alex said outside of court after being Aquitted on all charges that this Evidence Will See The Light of Day at some point & that light of day is coming very soon.
Linda Ellard – sadly you are one of many dullards who are poorly informed.
He promoted more women than anyone else, Linda. He is not a misogynist, and never was in my dealings with him. I found him always courteous and decent and helpful. As, indeed, I did with all the male politicians with whom I came into contact – from the SNP and other parties. People cannot be condemned for their thoughts, only their actions, and, even then, misunderstandings arise. That he was a hard taskmaster, no one would dispute, but he never asked anything of anyone that he was not prepared to do himself. Yes, he was and is a consummate politician, but that comes with the territory. He set up a charitable trust in his mum’s name that is still helping young people, and that was done with the extra salary he received when he was both MP and MSP.
will there be a crowd funder for Mr Salmonds case. Anxious to donate.
Watergate was childs-play by comparison. It was mostly slush funds, enemies lists, and basic corruption. It did NOT involve attempting to jail political opponents for life. Nixon was a snake-in-the-grass, but even he wouldn’t have gone that far.
At last! It’s time the crooked, cruel treatment of Alex Salmond by those women was examined. I’ll be extremely happy to see justice dealt out and his innocence highlighted.
“the concealment of documents in defiance of court orders and a criminal warrant”
It’s pathetic that this has been allowed to happen without any apparent consequences . Lets hope this time it will be different and court orders will have the teeth to make sure that any court rulings are either obeyed or those continuing to defy them are charged as such.
“the light of day is the best disinfectant” – Louis Brandeis 1891
I am extremely happy that Alex Salmond has engaged Gordon Dangerfield as his solicitor , Gordon has been an avid supporter of fighting the complete and utter travesty that has been inflicted not only on Alex Salmond but against truth and justice in Scotland
It is reprehensible that any individual that has an ounce of decency or compassion would seek to DESTROY a man both physically and mentally for crimes that were proven to be fraudulent
This heinous despicable collusion of evil conspirators has only survived due to the collusion of members of the judiciary and they too should be exposed and punished for the reputational damage they have caused to a once world respected justice system ,that senior members of the justiciary have allowed this travesty to continue unchallenged does them no favours
It should also be remembered that the chief redactor of this heinous act honest John (what a misnomer that is) eagerly participated in the lies and corruption of justice
Seconded, twathater.
Bravo Mr Salmond ! Go get the liars and manipulators.
If there is a crowdfund I too , am willing to donate
Good news and I hope the guilty will be exposed and punished.
However, I also hope this will not be much delayed as we need the answers before the next GE, so we can stand a chance of a party, or enough representatives, which actually wants Independence for Scotland and does not believe that asking Westminster for a referendum is the answer.
We need people who are bold enough to tell Westnister that Scotland is leaving the Union, then we can hold our own referendum under a fairer franchise and with international oversight to ratify that.
I honestly don’t care about sexual behaviour between consenting adults which is a matter for Alex Salmond and his wife that has also had to endure the narcissistic behaviour of these liars and criminals who committed perjury in court!
We all know he was set up by the SNP because they had already sold us all down the river in independence!
These women should hang their heads in shame as it has made a farce of genuine people being sexually harassed in politics or a place of work!
His personal life is as I said between him and his wife!
I watched everything that was allowed to be broadcast to the public and seen from day one he was being tarnished by these desperate and despicable women with NS for their own agenda and that was to hide the fact that they dont want independence and are prepared to accept some change to the devolution settlement! Which leads me to believe we are still in the same position as before since Humza Yousaf is a chip of the old block!
With the evidence of the day after the independence vote , Cameron gloating decides that England should have a parliamentary voting system that no other nation in the UK would have a say in!
I don’t believe that they acted alone and what I do believe is it was a case of if you lose its your neck on the line and we will deny we gave you the go ahead to destroy AS reputation by innuendo and then full investigations that didn’t half backfire on these perjurers who should be prosecuted under Scots law!
I looked and listened to all evidence allowed to be published and watched the so called committee hearing on it all and my own conclusions at the time was that the only person telling the truth was AS as the rest reverted to sorry cant speak about this or that pertaining to the stitch up they themselves conjured up from their own deceitful acts!
It also kept AS from being allowed to say anything in his defense!
And I am not an avid supporter of any politician but I am an avid supporter of Scots law and seen through a whole debacle of lies and deceit by all who were involved in the persecution of AS!
DAMN I DO DESPERATE WANT INDEPENDENCE THOUGH!
Is anyone really interested in answers, going to court to get the Truth from Westminster, seems to be of NO interest. The need for a Scottish Office, with NO permission from Scotland, built with OFFSHORE money to by pass Holyrood, also tells me how di-honest they really are,! and how dis-honest they have always been! WHO chose (ENGLISH/U.K ! CIVIL SERVENT LESLIE EVANS??) . NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SCOTTISH OFFICE?????) The plan to” kill two birds with the one stone” ,Westminster politics stinks!! They are being questioned about COVID proceedure, trust???,they have got to keep up with Scotland bad! a desperate distraction!!. Court in front of the U.N. for these lying PARASITES! After they lost their case, tried in vain, a court case by television!, then they did a runner! I am neither defending either Alex nor Nicola, but how low these Westminster creatures will sink!! No say in leaving E.U!!. NONE!! Get Brexit Done?? We are all being manipulated, nothing changes, centuries of practice, and we fell for it!!. The U.N. should be interested in INTERNATIONAL LAW being broken!
Valid points and difficult to disagree with any of them.As to the UN it is impotent and merely an extension of US global hegemony. Just ask the Chago Islanders,Kashmiris,Palestinians.
“..over the course of the last year when this action was first raised” per Gordon Dangerfield.
Did anyone else think, on reading this statement, that this was the catalyst for Sturgeon’s sudden and unexpected resignation? I wasn’t aware that the proceedings had been issued and were on hold pending resolution of the criminal investigations.
It looks to me like she realised the game was up one way or another – if there was no action on the criminal front, she would still be faced with this civil case (with all her mates) so threw the towel in and scarpered. Makes you think.
with the involvement of the scottish government the prosecutor fiscal office the scottish police force and the scottish judiciary all working against alex salmond,will there be big changes at the top of all them that were involved in the false prosecution of alex salmond .The snp hierarchy played a huge part in withholding evidence john swinney in particular, will there be a complete clear out of officials that took part in the cover up .
They shall reap what they have sown it is plainly obvious that the fools who claimed that the others ”have moved on”never read these statements let us hope that those who committed perjury yet were granted immunity by the court are tried and punished under a more honest Judge though because since this story was leaked to the press there has been no one brought to justice since the trial no one was brought to justice let us hope this court hearing is not controlled by the Cabal!
Yes – Sturgeon’s come-uppance is long overdue. Bring it on.